The Ultimate Fighter LIVE – episode 1 recap

For the first time ever, The Ultimate Fighter introduces the new live format for season 15. The episode kicks off with Dana White addressing the fighters and he quickly delivers a curveball to them regarding the fight format. White explains to the contestants that they will only have a single round to prove that they belong in the house. The one-round format should make for fireworks with the fighters only having five minutes to make a statement and get a win.

Joe Proctor vs. Jordan Rinaldi

Round 1 – Proctor scores first with the leg kick. Rinaldi comes back with a lead left hook as both guys waste little time with the new single round format. After a nice exchange, Rinaldi lands the more significant strikes with knees in the clinch. Rinaldi fires off a straight right hand and follows up with a stinging leg kick. Big exchange. Right hook by Rinaldi, but Proctor counters nicely with a right of his own. Leg kick Rinaldi. Proctor catches it and follows him to the ground locking up a guillotine. Rinaldi fights it off but is forced to tap.

* Proctor also earns a $5,000 bonus in addition to getting into the TUF house.

Cristiano Marcello vs. Jared Carlsten

Round 1 – Carlsten scores with a kick to start. Marcello lands one of his own and adds a right hand. Kicks by both guys land. Carleston catches a kick and lands several good knees before Marcello closes and clinches. Marcello gets a quick takedown and advances to full mount. Marcello not doing much to this point with his top position, but then starts scoring with right hands. To the body now. Marcello lands a few big elbows and with only one round to fight, Carlsten might be in trouble here. Carlsten rolls, giving up his back and is immediately flattened out. The choke comes next, and so does the tap.

Following the Sicilia KO, Jon Anik spoke to Joe Proctor about his win to kick off tonight’s episode. Proctor explained that the one-round format definitely played a big factor in his approach to the fight.

“I’m not going to lie to you, I was nervous as hell,” Proctor said. “It is what it is, you got to go in there and give it all, it’s my dream and I wasn’t going to let it pass by me.”

Austin Lyons vs. Chris Tickle

Round 1 – Tickle swings for the fences early. Lyons does also, winging punches and landing his kicks early. Tickle staggers Lyons with a lead right hand, then follows up with a grazing left. He finishes him off with another big right hand over the top. These guys are doing it tonight!

Round 1 – Right hand by Weafer, then to the clinch. Weafer goes to work with knees but then gives up a takedown. Ogle on top and going to work looking to posture up. Nice control by Weafer from his back so far as he’s taken little damage. Weafer works a high guard looking for the triangle now. He’s got his legs locked, but doesn’t have the triangle completely cinched up. Ogle works the body, but is in trouble. Ogle still defending and throwing punches. Ogle still landing left hands from the top. Weafer still looking to finish but so far has been ineffective with the submission attempt. With under 30 seconds to go, the ref restarts them. Weafer shoots and gets caught in a guillotine as time runs out on the round.

Round 1 – Pfister comes across the Octagon with a winging right hand and a failed takedown attempt. He stays after it, re-shooting and getting Pichel to the mat. Pichel responds with a quick triangle attempt but can’t lock it up. Pichel again throws his legs up looking for the triangle, then goes to the omoplata. Pfister scrambles out and then reverses. Back-and-forth now with both guys alternating positions during the transitions. Pichel now on top and in side control. Pfister works back to his feet and eats a big knee. He drops and drives Pichel into the cage, working back down to the canvas. Pichel kicks off and gets back to his feet with Pfister draped all over him. Pfister working for another takedown, but then takes the back of Pichel. He’s pretty high and Pichel shakes him off. Big elbow from the top by Pichel and Pfister is gushing blood now. Pichel takes his back and puts him away with the rear naked choke. What a finish!

Round 1 – Kicks by both fighters to start. Glover goes high then low with his next kicks. More kicks from Glover. Cofer closes and clinches, driving Glover into the cage. Cofer lands a short elbow inside. Glover pushes off and takes the center of the cage. Cofer ducks under a kick and grabs a single. Cofer gets the takedown. Glover works to his feet but gets slammed back to the canvas. Cofer going to work now. To the body by Cofer. Glover uses the cage and gets back to his feet, talking trash as he closes the distance. Flying knee by Glover. Cofer walks through it and puts Glover back on the cage. Nice counter left hand by Cofer during an exchange. Glover scores with a flurry of knees in the clinch, but then gets taken down. He grabs the guillotine but Cofer works free with just over a minute to go. Glover uses the cage and gets to his feet again. Nice knee on the break by the lanky Glover. More kicks from Glover. Cofer again closes and gets a takedown. He’s not doing much with the top position and it may cost him. Glover pops up to his feet just before the bell.

Round 1 – Leg kick Saunders. Right hand by Hackett. Hackett follows up with a big head kick that drops Saunders. After a scramble, Saunders locks up a guillotine and pulls guard. Hackett is in trouble. Saunders still squeezing, but Hackett is hanging tough. Saunders lets it go and may have burned his arms out. Back to the feet. Overhand right by Saunders. Hackett scores with a counter right hand. Hackett shoots and gets the takedown now. Saunders leans in and grabs a single as Hackett pulls out and away. Nice kicks by Hackett. Nice right hand from Hackett. Kick to the body is caught and Saunders gets a takedown. Back to the feet quickly, and now to the clinch. On the break, Hackett lands again. Nice kick. Saunders comes back throwing combinations, landing a straight right hand. Big exchange and Hackett fires off a right hand, kick, and then shoots. Hackett grabs a leg looking for the takedown. He gets it but gets caught in the guillotine again. That may have cost him the fight. Hackett ends the fight on top and it will go to the judges.

After the decision is announced, Dana White and the coaches talk about the performances so far. White cracks a joke about Hackett living with his mother a little while longer after his loss, while both coaches agree that this season has a ton of talent to choose from.

James Vick vs. Dakota Cochrane

Round 1 – Vick misses with a kick early. Cochrane throws just to set up a takedown attempt. He doesn’t get it initially. Both guys fighting for position and defending against each others takedown attempts. Cochrane resets and shoots but again can’t get the fight to the mat. Vick is doing an excellent job at fighting off the relentless pace of Cochrane. Vick stops another takedown, locking up a front headlock. Cochrane continues to work forward, getting back to his feet and clinching again. There has been virtually zero offense by either guy as they’ve spent the entire time locked up. Vick continues to fight off Cochrane and manages to land a single knee to the body. Cochrane with a knee to the thigh as he presses Vick into the cage. Vick turns Cochrane into the cage and fires off a knee. The referee finally breaks them. Nice combination from Cochrane. Vick just misses with a big uppercut as Cochrane changes levels to shoot. Cochrane ends up on top after fighting for the takedown at the end of the round.

Round 1 – Chiesa feints and changes levels, shooting with a very quick double-leg takedown. Very nice takedown. Vistante eats a couple of punches and gives up his back. Chiesa looking for a quick finish hear. He’s landing big punches from the back, and is showing some very nice control. Big strikes from the top now as Vistante is flattened out. More big punches, and short elbows now. Total domination so far. Chiesa goes for the rear naked choke and gets the tap quickly. Very impressive.

Round 1 – One-two just misses by Maclean. Nice combination by Maclean. Big right hand by Rio. Counter right by Maclean. Rio with a nice combination that scores. Straight left hand by Rio. Both guys are landing some clean shots. Rio gets the takedown, landing in side control. Maclean scrambles, but Rio is maintaining top control. Rio is scoring from the top now as Maclean is turtled up. Maclean scrambles to his feet but gets suplexed right back to the canvas. Rio now has his back and is looking for the choke. Maclean fighting off the choke with the two-on-one and is out of danger for now. Rio stays persistent, locks up the body triangle, and then the rear naked choke. The tap comes quickly and it’s over.

Round 1 – Both guys with kicks to start. Head kick by Lawrence and another spinning kick. Wow. Nice striking by Lawrence so far. Huge combo finished off with a kick by Lawrence. Nice jab by Krause, but Lawrence dips in for the takedown. Swarming punches by Lawrence now from the top. Spinning kick by Lawrence, and he’s all over Krause. Big knee by Lawrence, and he follows up with a crushing left hand that drops Krause. More punches and he’s out. Wow!

Round 1 – Cruikshank has the better tan, but will he be the better fighter? Nice kick from Cruickshank. Dober ducks in and grabs a single after another kick by Cruikshank. Cruickshank finds a little space and lights Dober up with a big combination inside. Cruickshank with a barrage of strikes and kicks before powering Dober to the mat. These guys are not playing. Big elbow from Cruickshank. Dober uses the cage to get back to his feet but is getting peppered on the break. He’s a tough kid. Dober shoots in and gets a takedown but Cruickshank gets back to his feet quickly. Cruickshank turns and puts Dober into the cage. Cruickshank gets a single leg takedown with 1:30 to go. Dober uses the cage and gets back to his feet but it’s going to take a lot for him to win. Nice one-two by Dober after the break. Clinch now against the cage. The fight is stopped for a moment after a shot to the pills by Dober. After the restart, Cruickshank lands more kicks while Dober throws hands. Cruickshank ducks in for another double-leg takedown and gets it. Dober reverses but gets caught in a guillotine. Back to the feet. It’s over as time runs out.

Round 1 – Smith with the kick to start. Smith throws, then shoots for the takedown. He gets the bodylock, then the trip takedown. Larsen quickly gets back to his feet, but gets taken back down. Again he pops back up, then turns and puts Smith into the cage. Larsen drops and looks for a takedown, but gets caught in a guillotine. He fights it off and gets back to his feet. Larsen lands a stiff right hand as Smith fires off a kick. He drops Smith with the punch and is now on top and in side control. Nice scramble by Smith as he transitions to the back of Larsen. They stand back up and Smith lands a big right hand. Nice uppercut now as Larsen changes levels and puts Smith on the cage. They hit the mat and Smith is working on a leg. Smith with the kneebar, and Larsen nearly taps. Larsen stays busy and works free, taking top control now. Larsen with knees to the body. Smith tries to hip escape but Larsen maintains top control. Larsen still in side mount and landing elbows to the body and head. This may win the fight for him. Under 30 seconds to go. Larsen is still on top. Smith scrambles and goes for a leg again, but Larsen ends the fight on top.

Round 1 – Nice kick to the body by Tuck. Tuck jumps guard after they close distance and goes for a quick armbar. Iaquinta pulls out and stands, shaking Tuck off. Tuck gets right back to it, taking the back of Iaquinta. After a reset, Iaquinta lands with a right hand, then comes forward with a nice combination. Tuck misses upstairs with the kick. Right hand by Tuck, counter by Iaquinta lands cleanly. Big kick by Iaquinta. One punch for Tuck, but Iaquinta fires back with a multiple punch combination. Tuck’s toe is bent grotesquely in the wrong direction and may be broke but he fights on. Iaquinta shoots in and gets a takedown. Tuck looks for the guillotine but Iaquinta postures and lands some punches from the top. Side control now for Iaquinta. Big right hands from the top now. Tuck rolls and secures a leg but time runs out.

Round 1 – Big kick to the body by Jury. He immediately shoots in and gets a quick takedown. Jury lands to the body from the top. Jury postures up and lands a flush elbow. More shots to the body now. Jury dominating so far. Arreola kicks off the cage and then goes to the armbar. Jury defends perfectly and gets back to work from the top with elbows. After a stall, the referee stands them up. Jury goes right back to the takedown and puts Arreola on the mat against the cage. Two minutes to go. Body-head by Jury from the top. More elbows from the top. The fighters are stood up again with 1:20 to go. Arreola kicks and Jury catches, putting him right back to the canvas. Jury scoring from the top again. Easy win for Jury as it goes to the scorecards.